sad demise of our fellow horizonite.

BANGALORE: A first-year engineering student fell from the fourth floor of a college hostel building on Saturday morning. He was trying to hold on to his cellphone after it slipped from his hand.

BULL CRAP!!

Vivek Raj, 18, from Bhagalpur in Bihar, was studying in New Horizon Engineering College off Marathalli Ring Road. He was staying at the college hostel.

HAL inspector N Purushotham said they are trying to find out whether Vivek was talking on the phone or sitting on the parapet seconds before he fell.

FINAL MOMENTS

It was 10.30 am. Fifteen minutes earlier, Vivek was reading newspapers on the ground floor near the gate. He even wished good morning to hostel warden Rao, who passed by. Then Vivek approached the security guard Bipin and asked for the key to the third floor. He wanted to wash clothes.

Police said Vivek took the stairs to the third floor with two buckets of clothes. Bipin also confirmed that he had gone to the third floor and had a chat with Vivek.

Ten minutes after Bipin came downstairs, he heard a loud thud. When he went to investigate, he found Vivek had fallen from the terrace, which is on the fourth floor.

Bipin informed Rao and the hostel's medical attendant immediately. Two PG students also helped in taking Vivek to a nearby private hospital. There, doctors declared him brought dead.

CONFUSION LINGERS

Bipin said he wasn't sure when exactly Vivek went to the terrace. Vivek's cellphone, which was damaged badly, was lying next to him. According to students at the hostel, Vivek probably received a call while washing clothes, so he went to the terrace while answering the call. The phone may have slipped from his hand near the parapet, and he must have lost balance while trying to hold on to it.

But Purushotham said nobody actually saw what happened. "The phone is damaged. We are trying to get call details to ascertain the last caller and the time Vivek received it," he said.

HOSTELLERS CRY FOUL

The hostellers are complaining against the management. While some claimed Vivek committed suicide due to "problems at the hostel", others said nobody attended to Vivek for half-an-hour. But nobody has come forward to record or register any complaint in this regard.

Vivek's sister Rainy said it was an accident. She recently completed graduation at another college in Bangalore.

Chairman of New Horizon Group of Educational Institutes Mohan Maghnani said police are carrying out investigation.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Student-falls-to-death-in-college-hostel/articleshow/5280305.cms

Deccan Chronicle

● SLIPPED WHILE SPEAKING ON THE CELLPHONE: COPS

BE student falls off terrace, dies

DC CORRESPONDENT

BENGALURU

Nov. 28: An engineering

student died after falling off

the terrace of his college

hostel in HAL police limits

Saturday morning.

Vivek Raj alias Vineet,

18, from Bihar, reportedly

slipped and lost his balance

while speaking on his cellphone

and simultaneously

trying to dry clothes on the

terrace around 10.15 am.

He was residing at the New

Horizon Engineering College

hostel on Marathahalli

Outer Ring Road.

Vivek was later shifted to

a nearby hospital where the

doctors declared him

brought dead on arrival.

“He was taken to a hospital

by his classmates immediately

after the incident,” an

HAL police officer said.

Vivek, a first year IT student,

had gone to the library

around 9.30 am after breakfast.

Later, he went to the warden’s

room and took the

keys to the terrace to wash

and dry his clothes. While

he was trying to dry the

clothes, he got a call on his

cell phone.

The local police is yet to

ascertain who called him on

the cell phone. “He was

standing near the parapet

when he slipped and fell to

the ground,” the officer

said.

Vivek sustained serious

head injuries and was

unconscious when his

classmates, who heard the

sound, rushed to his help.

Inmates at the hostel

alleged that no first aid kit

was available with the management

in case of an emergency.

“It took more than 20 minutes

to shift Vivek to an

autorickshaw from the accident

spot,” said one of his

classmates.

A management official

brushed away rumours of a

suicide by Vivek and said it

was an accidental death.

“He was a good student

and had no reason to take

such an extreme step,” he

said. According to Vivek’s

sister Rainy Raj, “My

brother didn’t have suicidal

tendencies. This is an accidental

death and I have no

doubts in this regard,” she

said.

DNA

Mobile sends student hurtling down

The phone slipped out of the teenager's hand and he sought to hold on to it with fatal consequences

K Ramanujam. Bangalore

An 18-year-old engineering student who was talking to a friend on his mobile phone, fell to death from the third floor of his hostel building as he was trying to catch hold of the phone which slipped out of his hand. The incident happened on Saturday at a college hostel in Marathahalli. The police have identified the deceased as Vivek Raj (18), whose hailed from Bhagalpur in Bihar. A first year BE student, Vivek was studying Information Science at New Horizon College of Engineering. He stayed at the first floor of the hostel situated on the college campus. On Saturday, he had gone to the terrace to wash clothes when the fateful incident occurred. Vivek was talking to his friend over telephone and sitting on the parapet wall of the terrace when his phone slipped out of his hand. He tried to catch the phone when he lost his balance and fell down. His college seniors, who saw the accident, rushed to the spot and took him to the VIMS Specialty Hospital the where doctors declared him dead, on arrival. Vivek's sister, Rainey Raj, said that one of the students had told her that the college management tried to hush up the issue by claiming that it was a case of suicide. But the sister emphatically said that her brother was very good at studies and intelligent and had no reason to kill himself. The dean and other members of the administration of New Horizon college of engineering later agreed that Vivek was a good student and the death was the result on an accident. The HAL police are investigating the case.

parking woes

COLLEGE’S VERSION OF PAY-AND-PARK!

Students of a city college protest against denial of parking space inside the premises

M K ASHOKA

Students of New Horizon College in Kaadubisanahalli near Marathalli Ring Road raised the banner of protest over their parking rights on Thursday. The target of their ire is the management stipulation of Rs 6,000 per car and Rs 4,000 per two-wheeler for allowing vehicles to be parked inside the premises.
Following the students’ protest, the management said it would take a decision in the matter on Saturday.
The anger of the students spilled over when the traffic police slapped fines on Thursday on all those who had parked their bikes outside. The incident came as an unpleasant surprise to the students, who have beenparking their two-wheelers there since the past two years without any problems.
According to the protesters, only a few rich students had paid the amount stipulated by the management and were parking their vehicles inside. They alleged that the management, with the intention of collecting money through parking fees, had told the HAL traffic police to take action against those who had parked their vehicles outside.
“Classes started at around 9.15 am. At 9 am, the traffic cops came and stuck Rs 100 penalty bills on all the vehicles parked outside. The students took the matter to the management, but it responded by suspending four of our representatives,” they said.
More than 100 students gathered in front of the college demanding parking space inside the premises. Meanwhile, college officials closed the doors of the classrooms to prevent others joining the protesters.
According to one student, there is enough parking space inside the college premises for around 800 vehicles.
The management later agreed to revoke the suspensions and said they would take a decision on the parking issue on Saturday or Monday. “If they do not take a decision, we will stage a protest again,” some students said.

Clockwise from top left: The vast compound of the college remains vacant due to the steep parking fees; protesting students milling outside; vehicles parked on the road

DECCAN CHRONICLE

Students of the New Horizon College of Engineering protested outside the gate of the college Thursday morning after the institution authorities allegedly refused to allow them inside without payment of the new parking fee for vehicles.

The college authorities have come out with outrageous amounts as fee for parking vehicles, students said.

The students now have to shell out Rs 2,000 for a 100 cc bike, Rs 4,000 for geared bikes and cars Rs 6,000.

Earlier, the parking space for students was outside the college gate, but on Thursday morning the management reportedly insisted that no student will be allowed to park outside.

The management said the students now have a parking area behind the campus.

"Initially, policemen assured us that the management cannot impose such rules on students. After a meeting with the management, the police insisted that the parking area outside the gate will be a made into a `no parking' zone," a student said.

"Any vehicle parked there will be towed away. The management is paying no heed to the students or parents gathered to discuss the issue," the student added.

The college issued a circular a week ago informing students of the new rules.
But the students never expected them to charge such hefty sums.

"They recently hiked the academic fee from Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 per year stating that it includes all college facilities. Why not parking?" the students asked.

When contacted, the college administration said there was no one from the management to comment on the issue. Senior police officers expressed helplessness saying that as the parking fee was charged in a private institute they could not intervene.

"Similar problems of parking were reported from a school run on 100 Feet Road, Indirangar. Parents and students need to check all these parameters before taking admissions," said a senior traffic officer.

CONTINUED PROTEST!

Take out a ‘we-are-sorry rally’

Now, management of New Horizon College wants students to rally inside the campus and shout slogans praising the college, to make amends for their earlier protest demanding parking space

M K ASHOKA

They protested against the exorbitant parking fees charged by the college management. Now, the management wants the protesters to shout slogans praising the management. Second year BBM students of New Horizon College, located on Marathalli Outer Ring road, are facing this dilemma. They have been told to take out a rally in the college premises on Saturday and say sorry.
On Sept 3, students protested against the management for stipulating a huge sum as parking fee inside the premises. Soon after the protest, the college, suspecting four BBM students of taking the initiative to protest, stopped taking classes to II year BBM students. When the students questioned this, teachers said ‘even they have the right to protest.’ Now, the students have been told that if they want classes, they need to take out a rally and glorify the management, shouting “Up up Horizon College” and “We are sorry.”
BLACK PROTEST
A student said, “Two sections have agreed to take part in the rally, but one section is backing out. Those who take part will wear black T-shirts opposing the Hitler-style dictatorship of the management.”
Students said for the last one week, teachers have been coming to class only to take attendance and sit idle. When students ask them the reason why they don’t take classes, some teachers frankly respond, saying they have been instructed by the management to do so, while a few step out after locking the door from the outside.
There are 230 students in the third semester of BBM. Four students have been kept under suspension for taking the initiative and talking about the parking problem with the management. The college authorities have reserved their decision till Monday following two huge protests.
Meanwhile, the college authorities have sent back the representatives of Akhila Bharathiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) who had come to enrol students in the organisation. Principal Sainath did not respond to calls from this newspaper since Thursday.

College sets ‘fine’ example

New Horizon College on Marathalli Outer Ring Road has begun fining students who wear sandals or floaters, terming it ‘unprofessional’

M K Ashoka

Posted On Friday, September 18, 2009 at 12:17:42 AM

The New Horizon College located on Marathalli Outer Ring Road has once again set a ‘fine’ example in its campus. After being
in the news for charging exorbitant parking fee, the college has begun to fine students who wear sandals or floaters.

The management feels shoes give a ‘touch of professionalism’, while sandals make students look ‘unprofessional’.

The rule applies only to boys in various disciplines, including engineering and management. Those found wearing sandals are caught and fined Rs 100 ‘on the spot’. Earlier, the rule was mandatory for both girls and boys. Now, girls have been exempted.

Meanwhile, a parent has written a letter to Bangalore Mirror highlighting the college’s ‘fine’ decisions. The letter runs thus.

“My ward has been studying in the college for the past couple of years. I’ve seen her suffer inwardly. I feel helpless because my daughter does not allow me to talk to the management because it might trouble her. For the past one week, the parking fees has become a serious issue between the college management and students. But this is just the tip of the iceberg.”

“If a student is found without an ID card in the campus, he has to pay Rs 100 as fine. If found with a cellphone (whether it is being used or not), one has to pay Rs 500,” he has said.

He said the semester and exam fees for colleges coming under the VTU is Rs 550, but students are made to pay Rs 600. According to the CET, one has to pay an annual fees of Rs 28,090 for the BE course. “In addition, an extra ‘college fees’ of Rs 15,000 has to be paid here.

And no receipt is issued.When I contacted the management, they said it’s a management policy not to issue receipts,” the parent has charged.

The college fees, which was Rs 12,000 till last year, was increased by Rs 3,000 this year. “When some students wrote to the management asking it to reduce it, few students who wrote the letter were booked under ‘drug peddling’ by the management,” he said.

“If these charges seem false or exaggerated, visit Orkut or Facebook and you will know the truth,” he has said.

Meanwhile, repeated attempts to contact the principal has gone in vain.

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/bengaluru/students-upset-over-parking-fee-194

Bengaluru

Sept. 3: Students of the New Horizon College of Engineering protested outside the gate of the college Thursday morning after the institution authorities allegedly refused to allow them inside without payment of the new parking fee for vehicles.
The college authorities have come out with outrageous amounts as fee for parking vehicles, students said.
The students now have to shell out Rs 2,000 for a
100 cc bike, Rs 4,000 for geared bikes and cars Rs 6,000.
Earlier, the parking space for students was outside the college gate, but on Thursday morning the management reportedly insisted that no student will be allowed to park outside.
The management said the students now have a parking area behind the campus.
“Initially, policemen assured us that the management cannot impose such rules on students. After a meeting with the management, the police insisted that the parking area outside the gate will be a made into a ‘no parking’ zone,” a student said.
“Any vehicle parked there will be towed away. The management is paying no heed to the students or parents gathered to discuss the issue,” the student added.
The college issued a circular a week ago informing students of the new rules. But the students never expected them to charge such hefty sums.
“They recently hiked the academic fee from Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 per year stating that it includes all college facilities. Why not parking?” the students asked.
When contacted, the college administration said there was no one from the management to comment on the issue. Senior police officers expressed helplessness saying that as the parking fee was charged in a private institute they could not intervene.
“Similar problems of parking were reported from a school run on 100 Feet Road, Indirangar. Parents and students need to check all these parameters before taking admissions,” said a senior traffic officer.